Conquer yourself; for if you do this you will gain a brighter crown in heaven than others who are meeker by nature. - Saint Ignatius of Loyola

Pope Saint Gregory the Great

Also known as

• Gregory I
• Gregory Dialogos
• Gregory the Dialogist
• Father of the Fathers

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Son of Gordianus, a Roman regionarius, and Saint Silvia of Rome. Nephew of Saint Emiliana and Saint Tarsilla. Great-grandson of Pope Saint Felix III. Educated by the finest teachers in Rome, Italy. Prefect of Rome for a year, then he sold his possessions, turned his home into a Benedictine monastery, and used his money to build six monasteries in Sicily and one in Rome. Benedictine monk. Upon seeing English children being sold in the Roman Forum, he became a missionary to England.

Elected 64th Pope by unanimous acclamation on 3 September 590, the first monk to be chosen. Sent Saint Augustine of Canterbury and a company of monks to evangelize England, and other missionaries to France, Spain, and Africa. Collected the melodies and plain chant so associated with him that they are now known as Gregorian Chants. One of the four great Doctors of the Latin Church. Wrote seminal works on the Mass and Divine Office, several of them dictated to his secretary, Saint Peter the Deacon.

Representation

Video

Readings

The proof of love is in the works. Where love exists, it works great things. But when it ceases to act, it ceases to exist. - Saint Gregory the Great

If we knew at what time we were to depart from this world, we would be able to select a season for pleasure and another for repentance. But God, who has promised pardon to every repentant sinner, has not promised us tomorrow. Therefore we must always dread the final day, which we can never foresee. This very day is a day of truce, a day for conversion. And yet we refuse to cry over the evil we have done! Not only do we not weep for the sins we have committed, we even add to them.... If we are, in fact, now occupied in good deeds, we should not attribute the strength with which we are doing them to ourselves. We must not count on ourselves, because even if we know what kind of person we are today, we do not know what we will be tomorrow. Nobody must rejoice in the security of their own good deeds. As long as we are still experiencing the uncertainties of this life, we do not know what end may follow....we must not trust in our own virtues. - Saint Gregory the Great, from Be Friends of God

Saint Vitalian of Capua

Also known as

Additional Memorial

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The earliest written record we have of his life is a 12th century manuscript found in the church library in Benevento, Italy; its authenticity is questionable, but its story of one of the pivotal moments of the life Vitalian became very popular -

When chosen bishop by the people of the region, which the custom in those days, he was roundly abused by his enemies, including priests who had wanted the seat. He was accused of preaching chastity without practicing it, and being involved in debauchery. Vitalian denounced their lies, then packed up and left the city, intending to go to Rome, Italy and present himself for audience with the pope. His enemies followed him, captured him, tied him in a leather bag, and threw him into the Garigliano River to drown. He floated to the coast of Ostia, Italy where he was rescued from the bag by some fishermen, and emerged unharmed. He stayed along the coast several months, during which there was famine, drought and plague back in the city that had betrayed and abused him. Their misery ended only when Vitalian returned to them; his entry to the city caused the first rain in months. Known as a miracle worker during the time he remained there.

Later in life he retired to live as a hermit at Milarum near Caserta, Italy, and then to Montevergine where he is reputed to have built a chapel and oratory dedicated the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Died

• 699 in Montevergine, Avellino, Italy of natural causes
• buried at the chapel he had built
• the place of his burial became over-grown and lost for a few years until re-discovered by some shepherds when his remains exuded a beautiful perfume that drew them to the site
• by 716, he had been re-interred in Benevento, Italy by Bishop Giovianni V
• relics hidden from Saracen invaders in 914
• by an order of Pope Callistus II on 27 October 1121, relics transferred to Catanzaro, Italy in 1122 as part of the celebration of the establishment of the diocese of Catanzaro
• some old stories indicate that the relics were enshrined in Osimo, Italy for a time, but there are no records of the move, just stories that it happened, but it led to his association with Capua, Italy and the 16 July commemoration
• Pietro Ruffo, Count of Catanzaro, built a chapel beside the Catanzaro Cathedral in 1311 to enshrine Vilatian's relics
• in 1583, when the chapel had fallen into a state of ruin, Bishop Nicolò Orazio had the relics re-enshrined in a velvet lined cask under the altar in the church of Our Lady of Catanzaro
• pure water is reported to flow from the relics

Saint Marinus

Also known as

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Stonemason who worked at Monte Titano in modern San Marino. Layman preacher who converted many, and ministered to Christians who had been sentenced to quarry work as punishment for their faith. Deacon, ordained by Saint Gaudentius of Rimini. Bishop of Rimini, Italy. Though he belonged to no order that required it, he was a confirmed, life-long bachelor. Falsely accused by an insane woman of Rimini of being her estranged husband, he fled to a cave on Monte Titano, and lived there as a hermit. The small country of San Marino is named for him.

Born

5th century Albe, Dalmatia

Died

• of natural causes
• relics in the Basilica of Saint Marinus

Patronage

• bachelors
• deacons
• falsely accused people
• San Marino

Representation

• bearded layman with a stone mason's hammer
• bearded man with two oxen near him
• deacon to Saint Gaudentius of Rimini
• deacon to Saint Leo the Great
• young deacon with a hammer

Saint Remaclus

Also known as

Remacle, Remaculus, Rimagilus

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Born to the nobility, Remaclus grew up in and around the royal court of Aquitaine (in modern France. Studied under Saint Sulpicius of Bourges. Benedictine monk in 625. Priest. First abbot at Solignac Abbey near Limoges, France, appointed by Saint Eligius. Abbot of the monastery at Cugnon, duchy of Luxembourg. Advisor to King Sigebert II of Austrasia. Convinced the king to found the double abbey of Stavelot, Belgium, and Malmedy, Ardennes, France, in 648; Remaclus served as its first abbot. Missionary bishop of Maastricht, Netherlands from 652 to 663, a diocese frequently out of touch with the Church and known to murder its bishops. He worked to spread monasticism in the region. Friend and co-worker with Saint Hadelin. Spiritual teacher of Saint Trond, Saint Babolen, Saint Theodard of Maastricht, and Saint Lambert of Maestricht. In his later years retired to the abbey at Stavelot to spend his final days as a prayerful monk.

Representation

Saint Mansuetus of Toul

Also known as

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First bishop of Toul, France, c.338 serving until his death. He was so successful in spreading the faith in the region that he became known as the Apostle of Lorraine.

Born

British Isles

Died

• c.350 in Toul, Gaul (in modern France)
• interred at the church of San Pedro in Toul
• Saint Martin of Tours is known to have made a trip to the grave
• relics translated in 971 by Saint Gerard of Toul
• relics distributed to several churches to save them from destruction during the French Revolution

Representation

bishop with a boy holding a ball; the boy is the son of the local governor who died while playing, and whom Saint Mansuetus raised from the dead

Saint Macanisius

Also known as

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Baptized as an infant by Saint Patrick. Spiritual student of Saint Olean. Pilgrim to Rome and the Holy Lands. Priest. Consecrated as abbot-bishop of Kells in Ireland by Saint Patrick. Friend of Saint Colmon of Dromore. Probable founder of the Kells monastery, which became the diocese of Connor, Ireland. Among other miracles attributed to him, he is reported to have changed the course of a river for the convenience of his monks, and to have rescued a child who about to be executed for his father's crime by having the boy picked up by the wind and carried to him.

Born

Irish

Died

514 of natural causes

Patronage

Blessed Brigida of Jesus

Also known as

• Birgitta Morello
• Brigida Morello
• Brigida Morello Zancano

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Sixth of eleven children born to a deeply religious family. Married to Matthew Zancano of Cremona, Italy on 14 October 1633. Widowed on 11 November 1637. Spiritual student of the Jesuits in Piacenza, Italy. Foundress of the Institute of the Ursuline Sisters of Mary Immaculate.

Died

Beatified

Saint Phoebe

Also known as

Febe, Foibe

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Christian matron, and likely a widow. Deaconess at Cenchrese, Greece. Delivered Saint Paul the Apostle‘s Epistle to the church in Rome, Italy, and is praised by him in it. Saint John Chrysostom wrote a sermon singing her praises.

Readings

I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is [also] a minister of the church at Cenchreae, that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the holy ones, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a benefactor to many and to me as well. – Romans 16:1-2, NAB

Saint Aigulphus of Lérins

Also known as

Aigulf, Ayou, Ayoul

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Benedictine monk at Fleury, France at age 20. Sent to Monte Cassino Abbey to obtain relics of Saint Benedict of Nursia. Abbot of the Abbey of Lérins c.670, instituting the Benedictine Rule there. Kidnapped and murdered with four of his brother monks by a group of men who objected to the growing influence of the Christian monks.

Born

c.630 in Blois, France

Died

Blessed Guala of Brescia

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One of the first disciples in Italy of Saint Dominic de Guzman. First Dominican prior in Brescia, Italy, and of Bologna, Italy. Bishop of Brescia in 1228. Due to civil unrest, he resigned the bishopric in 1242 and retired to the Vallumbrosans of San Sepolcro d'Astino, Italy.

Saint Hereswitha

Also known as

Haeresvid, Haereswith, Hereswithe, Hereswyde

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Princess from Northumbria (in modern England), the daughter of Hereric and Breguswith. Sister of Saint Hilda of Whitby. Married to Aethelhere, King of East Anglia. Mother of Alfwold and of Aldwulf who became king of East Anglia. Widow. When her children were grown, she became a nun at Chelles, France.

Saint Basilissa of Nicomedia

Also known as

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Died

Saint Balin

Also known as

Balanus, Balloin

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Born to the 7th century English nobility. Brother of Saint Gerald. Worked with Saint Colman of Lindisfarne, and travelled with him to Iona, Scotland. With his brothers, he later settled to live as a monk at Tecksaxon ("The House of the Saxons") near Tuam, Ireland.

Saint Zeno

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Died

Martyrs of Aquileia

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Four young women, variously sisters and cousins, who were born to the nobility, the daughters of the pagans Valentinianus of Aquileia and Valentius of Aquileia. Each woman converted and made private vows, dedicating themselves to God. They were arrested, tortured and martyred by order of Valentius for becoming a Christian. We know little else but their names –
Dorothy,
Erasma,
Euphemia and
Thecla.

Died

• beheaded in the 1st century in Aquileia, Italy
• body thrown into a nearby river

Died

Canonized

Martyrs of September

Also known as

• Martyrs of Paris
• Martyrs of Carmes

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A group of 191 martyrs who died in the French Revolution. They were imprisoned in the Abbey of St-Germain-des-Prés, Hôtel des Carmes in the rue de Rennes, Prison de la Force, and Seminaire de Saint-Firmin in Paris, France by the Legislative Assembly for refusing to take the oath to support the civil constitution of the clergy. This act placed priests under the control of the state, and had been condemned by the Vatican. They include

Died

Beatified

Video

Martyred in the Spanish Civil War

Thousands of people were murdered in the anti-Catholic persecutions of the Spanish Civil War from 1934 to 1939. I have pages on each of them, but in most cases I have only found very minimal information. They are available on the CatholicSaints.Info site through these links: